Posts for high

Dave D’Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger went in search of someone – anyone – who could or would say something nice about Andrew Bynum, and what better place to go than St. Joseph of Metuchen, where Bynum played two years of high school basketball before being drafted into the NBA.

Unfortunately for Dave (and perhaps more-so, Bynum), not even Bynum’s former athletic director and coach could muster up kind words about the worst acquisition in the history of Philadelphia sports: [NJ.com]

"Everyone here at school says the same thing: What’s wrong with him? Why does he act like that?" says St. Joe’s athletic director Jerry Smith. "He went from someone we’re proud of to someone whose name we don’t even mention anymore."

Bynum’s coach during his Falcons years — that would be 2003-05, his junior and senior seasons — sounds as though he is under no urgent obligation to defend him, because he’s gone seven years without even being asked to give an assessment of any kind about his former center.

"Yeah, I never respond to that kind of request, because Andrew has chosen not to stay in touch for whatever reason, so I just don’t get involved with it," says Mark Taylor, who now coaches the St. Benedict's Prep powerhouse. "I don’t dislike him, and he’ll continue to do well if he can stay healthy, but I’m sure he’s got people who will guide him in times like this."

Rarely – if ever – will you read those types of comments from coaches and teachers who watched a star being born. And not that Bynum is under any obligation to do so, but he hasn’t exactly given back to his school or its students:

Smith said he once took a busload of kids to a Nets-Lakers game in East Rutherford, and Bynum — reluctantly, he thought — did come out to say hello to the students.

"But he hasn’t exactly been a warm presence," Smith says. "We thought he’d be a lot different, that’s all. We all understand sports figures — wary of people asking for money and all that — but we don’t need money, we raise our own. It would just be nice if he came by now that he’s so close. It would be great for our kids to see him. But I’m not holding my breath."

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Some Phillies took the field yesterday wearing specially made t-shirts with the words Fake Tough surrounding the Liberty Bell.

The shirt, which makes fun of Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo calling Cole Hamels “fake tough” for intentionally hitting Bryce Harper, is meant to be a joke.

We think.

Wait, why’d the music stop?

What’s that, Scoob? A last place team wearing fake tough t-shirts isn’t funny because it’s actually kind of sad and a bit true? Crap! Does this mean the Phillies wearing high socks was also a fruitless effort to lighten the mood and reverse their luck?

Our fashion editor Dan Fuller certainly thinks so:

The socks and the shirt, by themselves, are good looks. I love the high socks– think they should be required in baseball. The t-shirt is pretty funny, too… if the Phillies were playing the Nationals… and if the Nationals weren’t NINE AND A HALF GAMES AHEAD OF THEM!!

I’m yelling now (!!!).

That’s like the 2008 Mets beginning the season with Team to Beat Nike Dry-FIT undershirts. Doesn’t work. Can’t do it. Can’t poke fun at the team running away with the division. Like, how embarrassing can this season get? Just in the last week, Freddy Galvis broke his fucking back, the Phanatic got sued, and now the team’s self-awareness has completely eroded away.

Unless, of course, this is just gallows humor. In which case– carry on, Phillies.

The Malvern Prep Varsity Ice Hockey Team will face off against La Salle College High School at Citizens Bank Park in January as part of the NHL's Annual Winter Classic festivities.

The Malvern-La Salle game will take place on Wednesday, January 4, at 5:00 p.m. at the ballpark, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies. The game, being dubbed the first annual High School Holiday Classic, will be followed by a college contest between Neumann University and Penn State. The Malvern-La Salle game will be a rematch of last season's Flyers Cup Championship in which La Salle defeated Malvern 3-2 in sudden death overtime at the Wells Fargo Center.

Tickets to the Malvern-LaSalle game will be $10 in advance and $15 at the game. Details will go on sale on the Malvern website in December.

There you have it– more outdoor hockey. Seems like a good spot for my Friars to get revenge on La Salle for the Patrick Kane-like overtime winner in last year’s Flyers Cup final.

Carry on.

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Perhaps you noticed that the Mets seem to have adopted the Texas Rangers’ “claw” for when they score runs. It’s an air high five, generally performed by douches in bars, but now, apparently, also by the New York Mets.

Exhibit A: Watch the Mets dugout after they scored the tying run in the sixth inning. There’s Jose Ray Ass clawing Ronny Paulino (I’d really rather not know what the Mets do in their free time).

Exhibit B: Watch Josh Turner go claws up after the Mets took the lead in the seventh.

It appears Carlos Ruiz didn’t appreciate the Mets' (new?) gesture. Watch El Choocheon mock it as the Phillies piled on runs in the ninth inning.

Despite the fact that more people are beginning to like Mike a bit more, there are still some signs out there that Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is still paying for his past transgressions.

Warwick High School took Vick's jersey off display in 2007 when the quarterback began his prison term for dogfighting. In the light of his recent success and redemption, students currently attending the school led a movement to put the jersey in the trophy case where it was once featured.

The school believes displaying the jersey again would serve as a "distraction" for students. It's understandable that the school wants to shut the issue down once and for all. Look at the attention the issue has already received on a national level.

But you can't blame the kids for trying. Good effort. Maybe next time.